Decisions will be approved by the party’s parliamentary board. PHOTO: FILE
With the schedule for the upcoming elections issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is in the process of finalising its candidates in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
The party will convene its provincial parliamentary board meeting on Sunday (today) to finalise which candidates will be awarded a party ticket to stand for provincial and national assembly seats.
The parliamentary board, comprised of ten members including provincial president Pir Sabir Shah, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Amir Muqam, Khawaja Muhammad Hoti, Farid Toofan, Rahmat Salam Khattak, Salahuddin Tirmizi, Arsala Khan Hoti and Malik Jahanzeb, has decided to complete party ticket allocations in two phases.
On March 24 the parliamentary board will conduct interviews of potential candidates from the central and southern districts of K-P, including Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and DI Khan. Interviews for reserved minority seats will be conducted the same day.
On March 26, the parliamentary board will conduct interviews of possible ticket holders from Hazara and Malakand. Interviews for seats reserved for women will be conducted the same day.
PML-N provincial general secretary Rahmat Salam Khattak confirmed the parliamentary board’s schedule. “After interviews are conducted, the central parliamentary board’s approval on all candidates will be required.”
He added all decisions on party candidates would be finalised by the evening of March 27.
Khattak further said candidates would be chosen on the basis of certain factors such as their commitment and influence in their respective communities. He claimed no guidelines on the matter had been given by the party’s central leadership.
Khattack said the party has received 300 applications from potential candidates seeking party seats in the K-P assembly, and 90 applications for tickets pertaining to national assembly seats. Eight applications were received for each seat reserved for minorities, while 32 applications were received for seats reserved for women in the national and provincial assemblies.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2013.
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